The Olneyville times. (Olneyville [Providence, R.I.]) 1887-1917, 1887-09-10

iuIHlhp ip tIlf, nc h5keu IN Wlls per,
as il he had not understood her que,-
ton:
"Christopher Is not here?'
''No. father! lie was coming right
back; he wanted 10 do something that
was to bring us good luck-those were
his words at going-but he doesn't
come backr'
II pass. " cried the old Llgies to his
comrades. laid his cards on the table
and stood up.
'Urte. my daughter. where IL
Michael?"
"He isn't here either father; we
can't find him any where"
The old man pressed his hand against
his forehead. and deep groan cs-
capped his breast He grew dizzy and
had 10 lean again st the door-post.
Uric put her arm around his neck and
asked in alarm:
What is the matter3 YOU frighten
met
This exclamation and the conduct Of
the old man aroused the whole COM
pany. Many had seen him stagger,
all saw him now. picture Of alarm
and distress. and all pressed him with
questions But he heard and saw
nothing; his eyes riveted on the ground.
At last he raised his head. embraced
his wifo and cried in "A tone not wholly
in accordance with the sense of his
words:
at can not be. mother, it can not
be! They are both our children. you
have-nO. it can not be that ono should
do the other n harmn
Turning TO the pastor, who had r'-
ready prepared to go home. AM only
waited to say good night to the bride
groom, he said with more hope in his
voice: "YOu have taught them 10 walk
in uie fear of the Lord neither of them
can have a wicked thought" With
this he took him aside and told him
briefly his fears.
The pastor was a man of few words.
Hardly waiting to hear the end, he
called upon the whole company to
hunt for the lost ones; and after this
he undertook TO comfort the father
and to restore his faith. In few
minutes every one was on the way
with candles and torches and blazing
pine knots. As no one knew. how
ever, which way to turn. the most of
them remained together in long line
which had followed the pastor. the
bride and the parents of the bridal
pair. The preacher. however direct
cd his steps. rs if led by instinct and
long custom. toward the church. Be
fore the house of God. which. in its
coat of snow, illumined by the moon,
with graves and crosses round about,
seemed to call to the people before its
door: II hold you for the light Of
lfc!" he halted and seemed to con-
slider whether he should go by or not
In this moment of indecision Urte
deserted man coming out of the
shadow of the strset that led To- the
Ncmcn. He bore some thing-an-
other man. Her heart said to her,
1T is they whom we are seeking"
and she hastened to- meet them. A
loud cry Of alarm corroborated the
suspicion Of all who had seen her
hasten forward.
IL was Christopher and Michael.
The latter half dragged. half carried
the former. 'What is itp" cried the
old Lagies, and his voice trem bled
while he stretched his arms toward
his children.
There followed an instant of raptur-
ous dolight-for ca ristopher was seen
to bo recovering Then Michael re-
lated his brothers fight with mon
ster. He spoke to his father and to
his brother:
you know. brother | hoped to
win your bride; they said you were
dead. and Urte had wcll-nigh be-
witchcd me. The father had nothing
against it, IN case you were really
dead. All this made me look on Urtc
lost brother made slight impression
on me. That is just how it was. You
must RENE mbcr how was more
shocked than rejoiccd Mt your
return-but no more of that!
| was standing before the
door. and father had just trumped me
as you left your father-in- laws house.
You had passed me, and l was glad
that it was so, and then again it did
not seem to- have been you. you were
gone SO soon. But | thought no more
about it, rs my head was full already.
When | went into the room and you
were not there. then | was certain il
had been you. No one thought of go-
ing to look for you. nor | either. only
| wanted to see where you were stay
ing. and that, too, merely for Il little
diversion. took no pleasure in all
the merry-making. 80 came over to
cur house, AMI the moon was shining
bright on the wall whore the rifle
hangs. hadn't really looked for it,
but | missed il in its accustomed place.
| looked out into the yard Ny eye
has good memory. 80 | recognized
fresh footprints in the snow which |
had not seen during the day. | don't
know why did il, but followed the
track through the garden. | thought
of n thief with the rifle. and | thought
of YOU. but | couldn't make things
rhyme any way. That n thief should
have taken only the rifle where there
was better to bc had. or that you